Chapter 153
Chapter 153
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 153
Chapter Title: There's Something Special About Mages (11)
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"It seems the agents failed because information leaked out beforehand."
"What?"
"From what I heard when I made contact, Kim Suhyun caught on out of nowhere without them doing anything."
"You're not just making excuses?"
"No. The agent we sent isn't the type to be that shameless. He successfully handled four missions..."
"Ah. Ah. Got it. Just get to the point."
"They hadn't even started any missions or made proper contact yet, but he suddenly got suspicious and they were captured right away. This can only mean the information leaked beforehand."
"Our side's agent info leaked? It's not impossible, but... Our agent network isn't something that leaks easily, is it? Do you know what that means if it did? It means other intel could leak too."
"Maybe only a few fragmented pieces about the agents leaked? Or perhaps another faction is checking us to keep us in line..."
"That does seem possible."
Wu Shangkai let out a quiet sigh of relief inwardly. His superior had finally bought it. Whether the leak came from somewhere else or another faction was sabotaging them didn't matter. What mattered was whether his boss let it slide.
"So?"
"Pardon?"
"What do you plan to do from here? Kim Suhyun's still alive and kicking, plump as ever. We need a countermeasure."
"Uh, well, you see..."
Wu Shangkai faltered, caught off guard. Countermeasure? He was too busy coming up with excuses. But if he didn't propose something solid now, he'd face the wrath.
'What do I do? Anything?'
Send another agent? No, that was idiotic. Kim Suhyun nabbed the last one the second they showed up. If another got caught, it wouldn't end pretty.
'How the hell did that bastard figure it out?'
"Nothing?"
"I'll come up with something right away."
"To think I have no quick thinker on hand. It's eating me up inside."
"I'm truly sorry."
"Go ahead and draw something up. It better be more plausible than sending agents. And when Zhen Luo Gong shows up, send him straight to me."
Managing frontline espers was Wu Shangkai's job. But his superior wanted Zhen Luo Gong sent directly to him. It was as good as saying he'd take the man under his personal wing.
Wu Shangkai felt a surge of crisis.
'I might really get pushed out at this rate.'
He needed to find some breakthrough.
"Understood."
"Almost forgot—I've been hearing a lot about you lately."
"Pardon?"
"Your personal life. Personal life! Didn't I warn you last time to watch it?"
"I've been careful!"
"Then why am I hearing shit like this?"
'What the hell got reported?'
Wu Shangkai racked his brains in tension. No clue what it was.
"We don't meddle in every little dick-swinging escapade, but there's a limit. Know what I mean? Stick to the line. The line!"
"Yes, I'll keep it in mind."
'This guy's out there whoring it up himself...'
It burned him up, but what could he do? The guy was his superior. At least it hadn't gotten too specific. Just rumors, probably.
"Get out."
Outside, a woman stood with her head bowed. Xiao Mei.
"I'm sorry."
"Tch."
Wu Shangkai shot her a glare laced with irritation. Scoldings always rolled downhill. His boss had chewed him out, so now it was his turn to chew out his subordinate. That was the natural order.
But Xiao Mei outranked him by a notch.
"It's because of me that you got an earful... I'm truly sorry. It's not much, but..."
"Whoa, what the hell are you doing?"
Even as he scolded, Wu Shangkai's hand darted out like lightning, snatching the cash chip she offered. His sleight of hand was practically esper-level.
'Squeeze her dry, flea liver and all.'
Xiao Mei cursed him inwardly. No matter how much flak Wu Shangkai took from above, he had his position—and he skimmed way more than she did, several times over. Factor in all the backroom bribes, and he'd have stacked enough to make any corrupt official jealous.
But still, Wu Shangkai loved his bribes.
'No choice.'
To survive, she needed a backer. She and Wu Shangkai had a symbiotic thing going. He defended her in proportion to what she slipped him. That trust let her pull off bold retreats like this.
"Do better next time. Eyes from above aren't kind these days."
"Understood."
"Thought of any way to deal with Kim Suhyun?"
"I'm working on it."
'Apart from running away?'
"Don't just think—produce results!"
Wu Shangkai parroted exactly what his superior had said to him.
"Brace up and charge in with guts. You gonna keep dodging forever?"
'You nuts? Frontal assault on that monster?'
"I'm sorry."
"Tch, get lost."
"Yes."
Back at his post, his subordinates waited with worried faces.
"How'd it go?"
"How'd it go? Just do better next time, he says."
"Phew..."
They sighed in relief. No dismissal or punishment, at least. Their boss was flawless in that regard. Even if gripes bubbled up on the field, he'd handle it after and earn their respect.
What superior shells out bribes from his own pocket? Usually, they just squeeze the underlings. But not their boss.
"But there's one issue."
"Yes?"
"He wants ways to handle Kim Suhyun."
"Tie his feet with monsters, then go in?"
"Or lay traps and lure him..."
"Hey, if that's the level of plan you morons spit out after a minute, why's Kim Suhyun still breathing?"
His words left the subordinates sheepish.
"We'll hold out somehow. Zhen Luo Gong might come our way—hope he takes it on."
"Zhen Luo Gong?!"
"That Zhen Luo Gong?!"
As their eyes lit up with excitement, Xiao Mei stared at them in disbelief.
"Why are you lot thrilled?"
"Zhen Luo Gong's coming, and you're not pumped, boss?"
"Just another bullet sponge. Good for us."
"He's one of our top espers..."
"Doesn't matter. Just ups the death odds. Ideally, he'd snag Kim Suhyun. Can't do shit because of that guy."
Xiao Mei walked off with a cynical scoff. Her subordinates just gawked at her back.
* * *
"Uwaaagh! Uwaaagh! Uwaaaagh!"
"Do you have to yell like that every fight?"
"Sorry!"
"No need to apologize. But if you scream only when you're alone, your comrades might forgive you less."
Kim Suhyun clicked his tongue at the sloppy mercenaries. Gu San's eyes gleamed as he watched.
"Pretty amateurish."
"Well, everyone's like that their first time."
Uncle Jo Company members behind flinched at Suhyun's words.
"Some do it well even on their first go."
"Oh? You talking about yourself?"
"Give me a shot, and I'll show you."
To Suhyun, they all looked the same. He'd just mocked Gu San for bragging amid his comrades' mockery, but Gu San took it as a challenge. He cracked his knuckles aggressively.
"Wanna go now?"
"Sure, why not? Monsters'll swarm in about ten minutes."
"??"
Gu San blinked at Suhyun's casual claim, no scouting done.
'Kim Suhyun wouldn't bullshit like that!'
"Prepare!"
Suhyun yawned and waved them on. Uncle Jo Company fell back, clearing space for Gu San and his team.
"Raptors!"
'No way...'
Gu San shot Suhyun a stunned look. How'd he spot them?
"Not aiming at me, right?"
"N-No."
Gu San turned to the charging monster pack. Raptors? He could handle that. Perfect chance to show Suhyun he was different, stamp his mark.
Boom!
He slammed his fist into the ground. A roar echoed as earth surged up. A rock wall erupted instantly, halting the raptors' screams. A few unlucky ones smashed in, bloodied.
'See that? That's my power!'
'Uses a noisy earth ability in a monster hotspot. Hmm, head's just for show.'
Suhyun plopped on a nearby flat rock. Raptors wouldn't overwhelm them. Espers, after all.
From the brush emerged Choi Jae-ho and Jindo Dog Team 2, faces tinged with light fatigue from a hunt.
"You handled it?"
"Yes."
"Take a breather then. Watch these guys hunt. They're overly eager."
"Naturally."
"?"
"Whoops."
Choi Jae-ho's face twisted in a slip-up. Suhyun wouldn't miss it.
"What's that? What's natural? Hiding something from me?"
"N-No, it's just..."
"That's pretty hurtful, Choi Jae-ho. Thought we were pals... Was that just me?"
'When were we ever pals!'
"It's really nothing."
"If it's nothing, spill it. Or take it as you don't mind beefing with me."
Suhyun's threats never softened with rank. Choi Jae-ho bowed his head. Suhyun didn't bluff like that. He'd follow through.
And Choi Jae-ho was already jittery enough.
"Don't say it was me."
"Of course."
"Actually, the government's..."
There was a reason for dragging these deadweights along. Short-term training aside, Suhyun planned to ask him to evaluate them post-mission.
"Why hide it?"
"Didn't wanna stress you out early, Team Leader Kim Suhyun. Figured we'd reveal after and ask then."
"Oh, that? Yeah, nothing big."
"..."
Choi Jae-ho's expression soured. That eval role should've been his. Now it was Suhyun's. Despite him being right there.
'Ugh...'
A wave of hurt hit him.
'So that's why.'
Ignoring Choi Jae-ho's sulk, Suhyun scanned the mercenaries. No wonder they'd overplayed to him.
"How was it?"
Gu San returned post-raptor hunt, voice buzzing, face splattered with blood.
"Not bad. On to the next."
"Huh?"
"Tired from one hunt? Rest if you need."
"No! I'm fine!"
"You look beat."
"I'm good!"
"We can fight too!"
Team leaders growled, glaring like they'd grab collars. Suhyun yawned again, unfazed.
'Pick the usable ones from this trash? Can't I just fail 'em all?'
Nothing satisfying but their esper status. They handled raptors or hell crocs fine—anyone could.
Value on Cameron hinged on crisis handling.
'Wanna head back, rework those potions. Feels like wasted time.'
"Enough. Didn't come to brawl among yourselves. Team up, all three. Even then, you'd fall short in a pinch."
Suhyun put it mildly, but they missed the point. They puffed up instead.
"I can solo it. I'm different from these guys!"
"Don't... Give me the shot this time!"
"Perfect timing."
"?"
Choi Jae-ho shot up. Gloom gone, face taut with predator tension. Other leaders whipped around.
Trees burst from the ground mid-air. Roars boomed with cries. All but one team blanched.
"You said handle solo—who first?"
"Not the time for that!"
Choi Jae-ho gritted through clenched teeth. Suhyun shrugged.
"Looks ideal to me."
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